Smokeless Michigan

fnbworld'stravel advisory for
smokers: Add Michigan to your list of states
where you don’t light a cigarette
carelessly.

Michingan becomes
the 37th state in the US to ban smoking in all
bars and restaurants but exempts casinos and cigar
bars. There is a sigh of relief from
millions of bar/café workers who were
subject to second-hand smoke at work whether they
smoked or not. Bar and Café workers were
the ones that were most affected by second hand
smoke (SHS).

A study in Scotland
had effectively concluded that reduction in SHS at
work brought down the cotinine ((byproduct of
Nicotine that gets attached to lungs and puts a
coating on it) levels level in workers after the
ban on smoking in public places was affected in
Scotland.

Director Janet
Olszewski of the Michigan Department of Community
Health (MDCH) was quoted as saying, “This is
historic legislation that will protect the health
of all Michigan citizens,” She also went on
to say that, “Second-hand smoke is the third
leading cause of preventable death in Michigan,
resulting in about 2,500 deaths each year. By
creating smoke-free environments we are taking a
significant step toward creating a healthier
Michigan.”

The Michigan
Bills to prohibit smoking in the workplace
had been languishing in the Legislature since
2000. Gov. Jennifer Granholm called for smoking
ban legislation in her 2007 and 2009 State of the
State Addresses and signed the smoking ban into
law on Dec. 18. One bill applies to food-service
establishments, whereas the other applies to all
other work places. Two different bills are needed
because of Michigan’s unique health code,
which lists food-service establishments like bars
and restaurants under different safety regulations
than other workplaces.

The Bills are
crisp and define the locations, prohibit smoking
in those locations, specify civil fines and other
enforcement provisions, and then tie up the legal
loose ends.

A similar ban in Delhi in
2008 has also improved the quality of air at
eateries and has been welcomed by the public in
general. Just like Delhi, businesses in
Michigan, in order to comply with the smoke-free
law, are required to:

●Clearly
and conspicuously post “no smoking”
signs

●Remove indoor ashtrays and
other smoking receptacles

●Direct
any person who is smoking to extinguish the
cigarette, cigar or other lighted tobacco item.

While it is a great relief to one and all
we do have odd questions posed by avid smokers,
“Can we fully enjoy watching a game at a
sports bar with a beer in hand but no
cigarette?” and the answer is simple –
millions of non-smokers do!